Retention of a sub-network connection home path

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for reserving a connection's home path resources and restoring the connection on a link that includes a reserved priority bandwidth. A bandwidth advertisement indicating that the reserved priority bandwidth is available is analyzed and a restoration request requesting to route the connection on the link is sent. The reserved priority bandwidth is used to route the connection when the connection has a reserved home path on the link. When the connection has a reserved home path not on the link, a determination is made as to whether a normal priority bandwidth on the link is available and whether the connection is unrestorable on another link. The reserved priority bandwidth is used to temporarily route the connection when normal priority bandwidth on the link is unavailable and the connection is unrestorable on another link.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]n / aSTATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]n / aFIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention relates to relates to communication systems, and in particular, to a method and system for re-establishing connections in a communication network.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]It is critical in today's communication systems to provide and maintain the integrity of data communication networks even during line failures and module failures. A link failure may impact a large amount of data traffic and may cause many transmissions to be interrupted. Failures, which can be frequent and almost impossible to avoid, may be caused by human error or inclement weather. Accordingly, optimized protection signaling systems and methods are desired in order to quickly re-establish network communications once failures have been detected.[0005]A line failure may result from damage to physical fibers and optical components, such as t...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

A link failure may impact a large amount of data traffic and may cause many transmissions to be interrupted.

Failures, which can be frequent and almost impossible to avoid, may be caused by human error or inclement weather.

A line failure may result from damage to physical fibers and optical components, such as the malfunction of amplification equipment situated along the optical data path.

Module failures may consist of errors in the transmission or reception equipment.

Both line failures and module failures may disable the network segment or link between two adjacent nodes, forcing the connection off its original home path.

Link restoration methods may include handling a link failure by calculating a backup path and rerouting the traffic on the backup path, even though the calculated backup path may not be the most efficient path to reroute the traffic.

While on the backup path, the connection may use bandwidth resources that are reserved for another connection, which may be undesirable given that the backup path may be the home path of another connection.

Using the home path resources of the other connection may prevent the other connection from returning to its home path, which is undesirable, given that the home path may be an optimal and efficient calculated path for the other connection.

Other times, the path resources may be strictly held and may not be available for other connections to utilize.

On the other hand, when the path resources are strictly held, this may cause a reduction in an overall availability of restoration bandwidth, as the bandwidth is being held by the connection even when the connection is not on that path.

Further, bandwidth that is being held is advertised as unavailable for utilization by new SNCs.

This may make it difficult to know when an SNC that is on a restoration path may return to its home path.

The advertisement may not help in determining when the connection can be reverted back to its home / working path.

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